Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm was the perfect book for my mood. I wanted excitement, emotion, love, hate and the unexpected. Siege and Storm delivered all of that. I'll try to be vague with the spoilers, but there will be some. If you skip the rest of the post, just know that I loved the second book in Liegh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy and I'm happy that I already have a copy of Ruin and Rising. I devoured Siege and Storm, and I think book #3 is going to get the same treatment.

The story was full of the unexpected. I was really surprised that they found the sea whip so soon. I thought it would be more of a journey, like with the stag. I think there is something more to Mal. He can't be that good. I thought so when he found the stag in Shadow and Bone, but after the sea whip, I feel so certain of it. I am excited to see what happens with him in the next book. I was also surprised that we didn't get to spend more time with Alina and Mal on the run, especially after reading the synopsis. I thought there would be more build up, but if there were more, the book would have had to be longer and I think it was the right length.

I loved Sturmhond. Everything about him. The surprising and a bit of the expected, but in a good way. I was worried he'd turn out to be like his brother or the Darkling, but he was just right. He was coated in lies and personas, but I think there was truth there, genuine emotion and attachment to Alina and even Mal. His surprise was one of my favourites.

The twins were fantastic. Tamar and Tolya brought a new perspective to the Grisha, powerful people, who didn't rely solely on their power or want to be part of the Second Army. I think their surprise might be my actual favourite... Not that I necessary agreed with it, but I liked it in the story.

Honestly, all of the, all the characters, new and old, throughout Seige and Storm were wonderful. Genya! David! Nadia! They had purpose, they contributed to the plot. They moved the story along, but also showed unique personalities and growth, everyone from Alina to Zoya.

Alina's transformation was (of course) the most dramatic. Once the sea whip became a part of her, her personality started to alter. The Darkling got into her head, but the end, with the two of them, was amazing. Part of me thinks Mal shouldn't have gone back for her, for the sake of their country, but he had to, because he's Mal and he's a hero. Also, then the series would be over and we can't have that!

I can't wait to see what will happen to the white hair.  The country. The firebird. The cult. There are two short stories to read too, The Little Knife and The Demon in the Wood.  I'm excited for them. I love Bardugo's short stories in the world of the Grisha. I will be reading those before I get to Ruin and Rising.  A lot of reading to do, fun, tense, exciting read.

The Cabin In The Woods

I don't know how to talk about The Cabin in the Woods without splashing spoilers all over the place....bloody, bloody, spoilers. So, I'll just start by saying that The Cabin in the Woods is a fantastic movie.  It's a horror movie about five friends who head up to a cabin for some weekend fun, but from the first scene, you know that's not all their is.  I liked how the trailers hinted at it being something else, but mostly focused on the five friends. The trailers made Chris Hemsworth's character look like a dumb jock, but he's not. He's smart and he suffers and he wants to save his friends. Nothing is what these friends think.  If you haven't seen the movie yet, even if you think you know about it (like me) there is more.

I loved Marty. He was the perfect fool. Like King Lear's fool, he saw everything more clearly than his friends, though they were being manipulated A LOT. These friends were each playing a role. The fool is the one who connects the pieces. He saves the virgin, not the jock or the scholar. Of course the whore is the first, but is that a horror movie cliché or is it that way for another reason? In the first scene of the movie, we know they were chosen. They were sent to the cabin. The scene in the cellar was creepy and cool. That was the moment where the friends got to make a choice.  The only right one was not to go down there though, but curiosity apparently always wins out. Though I think each character played their part, I feel so bad for the blond, who was pre-med, but had to dye her hair and change her fate. Marty definitely won the day for me.  Yay, to the end of the world!

A quick comment about the Japanese school girls: they were amazing.  They were nine and didn't need anyone else.  I loved the bowl of flowers, I loved the frog.

Also, when Curt jumped with the bike.  They were so full of hope, but the audience knew what was going to happen.

The crew, the people behind the scenes, watching the monitors were interesting.  On one hand, they were doing what they believed in, on the other, they were killing four to five people.  Apparently, it is optional for the virgin to die. I don't know entirely how I feel about them.  I think the new security guard, Truman, really gave a voice to humanity and compassion.  If he had to live with his acts as long as some of the others, maybe he would have been placing bets too, but he balanced those people nicely.

The end was amazing.  Perfect and surprising.  The gun, the werewolf, the Director, the hand, it was all perfect.  I don't know how someone could come up with that ending, with those sequence of events.  I wish I could see what happened after.  I doubt we will ever be able to, because that was a serious ending.  I know The Cabin in the Woods came out all the way in 2012, but if you haven't seen it yet, make sure you do.  It was a great, fun, exciting movie.

The Tailor, by Leigh Bardugo

The Tailor is a fantastic short story, by Leigh Bardugo.  It is a story told from Genya's point of view, the only Grisha with her particular abilities (as far as we know) and a maybe friend of Alina, the main character in Bardugo's Grisha series.  In about 16 pages, Genya breaks your heart.  Alina is possibly her only friend, but Genya has endured so much, living in the palace with a vengeful Queen and a lecherous King, that she makes a decision that she believes will result in her freedom.  I appreciate that Bardugo doesn't soften things in the palace, she gives Genya very believable, though horrible reasons for doing what she did.

I've read Bardugo's other Grisha related short stories, but The Witch of Duva and The Too-Clever Fox were both "folk tales". The Tailor is the first Grisha short story I have read that is from the perspective of one of the other characters. I really enjoyed the folk tales.  Those stories are what motivated me to read the Grisha series. The Tailor, however, sheds light on a character's motivations that are hinted at in the first novel, but don't get fully explored.  I also appreciate that this story is available for free, something that couldn't fit in the first novel, but fans of Bardugo's would want to read.  The Tailor is the perfect set up for Siege and Storm, not that it hints at anything or even feels like a set up, but it made me energized to read the second Grisha novel and more by Bardugo. 

The Waves

Stream of consciousness. Experimental. MENTAL. We spend all our time in these characters heads. Though they interact with each other, we are never privy to their actual conversations, the exchanges of words. We have to discern what they are doing based on what they are thinking.  At least, that's what I've decided is happening.  Also, nothing happens.  I mean, stuff happens, but it is difficult to engage with a plot when we are never there, in the outside world, just in the character's minds.

The whole time I was reading The Waves I kept thinking, I would enjoy this more if I listened to it.  I think The Waves might be better as an audiobook, not that I listen to a lot of audiobooks. Actually, I've only listened to one, just to see if I'd like them.  It was Pride and Prejudice and I'd already read it, so I knew what was going to happen. The flow of The Waves, the lyricism of the words, made me feel as though I would enjoy listening to it.  The characters, never speak to each other, they only speak to you.

I knew - sort of - what was going to happen in The Waves. This was my second reading, but as I mentioned in a previous post, I didn't really remember it.  I wondered why. Now I know. Nothing happens.  As I said, we are so much in the heads of the characters, that we don't really experience them doing anything, I don't feel like there is really a plot to engage with. They all just live their lives and have feelings about them.

The Waves is called Virginia Woolf's most experimental piece of fiction.  I can see why it would be called such.  I have read many of Woolf's novels.  Though To The Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway are "stream of consciousness", they are not like The Waves.  The Waves exists almost on its own.

The book starts out with six friends in childhood, all living together somewhere. They stay connected, though not physically, but mentally and emotionally for their entire lives. Eventually, the boys go to an all-boys school and the girls go to their own school - I think, they are definitely separated during this time, but the girls know Percival and they adore and admire him as much as the boys do.  Percival is the "silent" seventh character, who (spoiler*) dies midway through the novel. He is missed throughout the second half of the book, as the characters have him up on a pedestal, a young man who died in his prime, on an adventure.

Though we stay inside the character's minds through the book, they each have a distinct voice.  I could tell which character I was with, just based on the way they spoke (soliloquized) and what they were talking about.  They each had their own wants, worries, and opinions. I found it fitting that the novel ended with Bernard.  He was the storyteller.  He was always searching for words. Through him, I think the reader learns the most about what is happening in the lives of the characters.

Though it did take me a long time to read a short book, I'm glad I did.  It was one of the most beautifully written pieces of fiction I've ever read.  Many times I found myself thinking that The Waves was actually a very long poem.  Every word felt carefully chosen, every phrase was eloquent.  It is one of the reasons I think it would be better to listen to The Waves; hearing the words might enhance the experience.  I think one day, though not anytime soon, I'll find myself with the urge to listen to Woolf's most experimental work.

* I'm not sure about the spoiler warning.  I mean, it's a classic Virginia Woolf book and I'm pretty sure Percival's death is in the synopsis on some editions.

On a side note, I recently came across a post on The Guardian's book blog all about Virginia Woolf, her work and her death.  Honestly, I know how Woolf died, but I don't typically think about that when I read her work.  It's an interesting post.

Also, 20/60 for my classics list.

The Waves - I'm Not Finished

Why am I not finished yet?  I had the due date for the Classics Club Spin ages ago.  I started the book weeks ago.  It's not very long, not even 250 pages.  Here's the problem: It makes me sleepy.  I can barely get through a page without starting the yawn.  It's been really helpful with my insomnia.  I push myself to try to read five or ten pages, but I think only once have I been able to do more.  That one time was when I had to go into the city and was on the train for an hour both ways.  Even that wasn't enough.  I think I only managed to get through about 50 pages that day.  On this train ride, which I do about once a month, I can often finish half a book or more!  I just couldn't keep reading without wanting to shut my eyes.

Thus far, Virginia Woolf's The Waves is a beautiful piece of literature.  It's lyrical and visual and I do like it.  It's just so very STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS.  Very.  

I mentioned in my Spin post, this is my second time reading it.  I wondered why I didn't remember what happened the first time, and now I think I know why.

Also, the Spin was a little funny this time around.  The original post said the Spin date was May 15 (today), but on May 5 a post went up.  No one changed anything, though many Clubbers mentioned the error in the comments.  It was probably either a typo or a mis-scheduling of the post. 5/15, very close.  Oh well.  

When will I finished The Waves?  I hope soon.  Afterwards, I'm going to find something light. I have some options. I think that I want no thinking, maybe lots of feelings and action.

Continuing A Series After The Author's Death

The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, The Wheel of Time and The Millennium Series, all have something in common (besides being on my bookshelves); after the death of their authors, someone else has continued the series. Why does an author feel compelled to do that, finish someone else's series? Is it love? Why does a publisher go ahead with this? Is it money? Is it also love?

Though all these series are in my home, I haven't read them all. The Wheel of Time is my Hubby's. I'm not sure if I'll read it one day or not. I want to, but the books are huge! I have read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and recently The Girl Who Played With Fire (finally), but not The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. I don't know why, I suppose I just haven't gotten around to it. I have read the five Hitchhiker books and loved them. Was I a fan of the ending? Not necessarily, but it felt like an ending; it was complete. When I heard about Eoin Colfer's book And Another Thing, as a continuation, I was excited and hesitant. I managed to pick it up (a long time ago - my son was an infant) at a charity book sale. It still sits unread on my shelf.

I've been thinking about this lately. I've also been making an effort to read the books that have been on my shelf for a while, like And Another Thing.  I'm so hesitant to read it, but I want to and I want to love it.  I'm concerned that my expectations are too high. I know Hitchhikers isn't for everyone, but I loved it. What if I hate this "sixth" book?  Would it ruin the series for me? Would my ire be worse than normal? Am I over thinking this?

What do you think about authors who continue a series?  I know I mentioned The Wheel of Time, but that was a different case, right? From what I understand, the series was clearly not finished and Brandon Sanderson worked from Robert Jordan's notes. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.  That is not the case with Millennium, as the author is creating a completely new work, not using the partially finished manuscript Stieg Larrson's girlfriend controls (not that I expect anyone to ever have a chance to finish that novel).  I don't know if Douglas Adams left notes for another book.  Did Eoin Colfer write a book to give himself and fans a better ending to the series? I thought the end of Adams' fifth book was pretty final.

I should just read them, right? No? Do I want to read David Lagercrantz's The Girl in the Spider's Web? I don't know. Yes and no.  If I ever decide to read The Wheel of Time, I will read the books written by Sandersen. That case is different, right? I would go into the series knowing it would be finished by someone else. I finished Hitchhikers years before Colfer wrote his book.  I started reading Millennium as a trilogy. I love reading, and I want to give authors a chance. My fear is that they will change how I feel about Larsson and Adams' work. Though at the rate I'm going, it'll be years before I get around to reading these books.

Mirror Mirror

It is rare for Julia Roberts play the villain. I can't even think of another time. It's one of the reasons I wanted to see Mirror Mirror. Another, is that I enjoy fairy tale retellings, especially if the heroine gets to be more heroic than in the classic tales. I know the movie is a few years old and it didn't get the best rating, but I was trying to decide what to watch, I felt like I wanted something where I didn't have to think.  I was also thinking about my children and wanted to preview some of the options on Netflix for appropriateness. (I pre-screen occasionally. A while ago, my daughter saw the Waynes getting shot and I had to do some quick talking.  Not making that mistake again.)

Mirror Mirror is a visually engaging movie; it's total eye candy. The sets were fantastic, but the costumes stole the show. The Queen's dresses were brilliantly elaborate. The costumes from the party scene were hilarious and wonderful. Whatever Nathan Lane was wearing on his head was perfect. The simplicity of the dress that the Queen's reflection wore was a fantastic contrast.  The sets and especially the costumes add a lot to the movie.

The movie had a lot of great moments.  One-liners, scenes that were fun, funny and sweet.  I really liked the twist at the end.  I liked the fight between Snow White and the prince; it was a fun way for them to get to know each other a little more, to become confused.  The prince under the spell was hilarious.  The actor did a great job.  It could not have been easy, there must have been some great outtakes.  The plot of the movie wasn't....the best.  It was okay. I think my daughter might like it, though there were a couple of slower parts, so there's a possibility of her getting bored halfway through.  We'll see.  I'm glad I watched it.  It was fun brain candy.

Shadow and Bone

I am so glad that I have the next two books in the Grisha trilogy. Shadow and Bone was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. It's been a long time since I read a book so fast. I loved Alina. I appreciated that she didn't start out as a typically/tragically beautiful girl who was unaware of her own beauty. She's skinny, with dark circles under her eyes. In the army, her nickname is Sticks. What Alina needed to do more than anything was accept herself. I like the idea that you have to accept who you are on the inside before you can change on the outside. Alina learns to find the strength in herself before she can move forward with anything, whether with her powers or with love.

I kind of loved the Darkling. As a character, he was brilliant. He's called "the Darkling" so there's already a foreboding feeling before you even meet him. But when he sits by the fire with Alina and when they're together by the lake, you think, maybe... and maybe... I'm interested to see how his character evolves through the next two books.  Plus, the book cover, now that I have read the story, I feel like so much of it is him. The swirling shadows and the bone.

The world that Leigh Bardugo creates is brilliant. It feels very real. Traveling with Alina, the reader gets to see much of Ravka, from the poor villages, to the opulent palace, to the Fold. Bardugo writes about each place with such amazing, engaging detail, it is easy to picture the characters almost getting run over by a carriage, sleeping in the forest or fighting outside a tavern.  I am eager to see where else Bardugo takes us in her world, will we get to visit the other countries, places that sound very different from Ravka? There's a whole world still to explore.

I think they're going to make a movie of Shadow and Bone.  I'm not surprised. As I was reading the novel, imaging all the powers of the Grisha, the palaces, the landscapes and the Unsea, I thought it would make a visually stunning movie.  As long as they cast well and the script is good.... I'm a little weary of all the Young Adult novels making their way to the "big screen".  It seems like there are so many, but only a few really good ones.  Not everything has been a Harry Potter or Hunger Games or even Twilight.  There have been some serious flops, but with all of Shadow and Bone's potential, I hope it isn't one.

I don't know why it took me so long to start the Grisha trilogy - probably because I have so many other series on the go.  I'm glad I did though.  Shadow and Bone was just what I needed.  It was fast-paced, exciting and full of emotion.  I can't wait to read Siege and Storm and future books by Leigh Bardugo.

Dreadfully Ever After

Dreadfully Ever After was exactly what I wanted it to be. It was exciting, fun, and full of zombies! It had most of the characters I wanted to see and some that I was surprised with. I loved Kitty. Who expected her to grow the way she did? Without Lydia around, she became her own person. Though I loved Lizzy and Oscar Bennet, Kitty stood out for me. I found Mary more predictable, her journey based on her experiences in Dawn of the Dreadfuls, was what I thought it would be. I was a little sad that there were no real interactions with Jane and Lizzy, though. I keep coming back to Kitty. She really held my attention. She broke out from what people expected her to be, what they wanted her to be. She became her own person. Steve Hockensmith created a Kitty I could love.

Darcy's family was a little crazy. More than a little. Dreadfully Ever After starts out with Mr. Darcy being bit. This is not a spoiler, it's on the back of the book. Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy can't let her beloved husband turn into a dreadful and she can't cut off his head either, so she sets out on a quest to find the rumoured cure. The only way to do this is through Lady Catherine. The same Lady Catherine who tried to kill Lizzy with ninjas in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  Knowing that Lady Catherine prolonged Charlotte's life, Lizzy has no one else to turn to in order to save her husband. Lady Catharine sends Lizzy off to London and away from Darcy, leaving him vulnerable to Anne. I saw what what coming with Anne, from the first time Darcy touched her hand. On the topic of Darcy's family, I wish we had more time with Georgiana Darcy, how would she have reacted to Anne and Lady Catherine's revelation? She seemed to have a great relationship with her brother and his wife and I wish that we could have seen what her journey in Scotland was like. It wouldn't have had to be long. Just a chapter, maybe. 

The Bennets went through some ups and downs looking for the cure. There were dreadfuls, children, dandies and ninjas. I think the man in the box redeemed himself, but I would have liked a closer look; naturally, it was Mary who found him. They struggled to do what they thought was the right thing, with ninjas constantly hovering nearby. I really enjoy Nezu, my favourite ninja.  It's another reason I would have liked to see more Georgina, she spent a lot of time with ninjas too. 

The characters are really what made the story for me. There was growth, doubt, sadness, tragedy and love. I was up late many nights because I had to know what happened next. Lizzy was caught between two worlds. So was Darcy. So was Anne. And Kitty. And Nezu. They all had to make choices. Making those choices was difficult. I enjoyed reading about their struggle and following them on their journeys to the end. Also, the chapter with the king, fantastic!

I suppose that's it for novels in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies series.  There's really not much left to say in the life of Lizzy (Bennet) Darcy.  If Steve Hockensmith wrote another one, I would definitely read it though.  Maybe there will be one about Kitty or Georgiana.  If not, that's okay too, because those "dreadful" books were wonderful.

Mind of My Mind

I can't believe Mind of My Mind ended that way. I saw the situation, the final scene of the end sequence coming; it was only logical. The result of the final scene was the surprise. Especially after reading the first book, Wild Seed, there were certain characters I thought would continue, would have to continue. Honestly, I'm not sure how to process the end. I don't even know how to talk about it without giving it away...and I don't  want to. I want people to read Seed to Harvest / Patternmaster series. I want people to read Octavia E. Butler. The first two Patternmaster books were amazing. Mind of My Mind kept me up late for a lot of nights. I just can't talk about the amazing ending anymore. 

I wanted more Emma. Emma is the name that Anyanwu took at the end of Wild Seed. I thought Wild Seed was amazing and I loved Anyanwu. Though I also thought Mind of My Mind was brilliant, I missed her. I wanted to know more about Emma, her thoughts and feelings in this new world. I wanted to know how much she agreed with Doro, how much she fought him. I wanted to spend time more time with her. Now, I don't know if I'm ever going to find out anything more about her. 

Though I missed Emma, Mary was a great new lead female character. I thought her and Karl were wonderful. I liked that their relationship grew over the course of the novel, that there was hate and love, mistrust and affection. Mary was so complex. She was young, but developed an unexpected wisdom. I enjoyed all of the "First Family". I could easily see how Jesse and Rachel would be pulled towards each other. I really liked Seth and Clay, and wished I could spend more time with them too. The next book is titled Clay's Ark, so maybe I'll see them again soon. 

I appreciated the metaphor (allegory?) of the race of telepaths enslaving the "mutes". To the Patternists, skin colour didn't matter, it was irrelevant. What mattered was their telepathic abilities, their intelligence and maturity. To them, however, if they needed something from a non-telepath, they took it; they used their mental abilities to tweek people, making them compliant and willing helpers. They used them as foster parents, they took over a school, invaded homes. They made it seem nice and they made sure that their mutes were happy, but they weren't free. Is it real happiness if they have no choice.  The breakdown of the girl Page with Ada was what really brought it home. She called Ada and the first family on what they were doing and basically Ada said that they do what they must. It broke Page's heart.

From Wild Seed to Mind of My Mind, the story jumped a large amount of time, probably one hundred years.  So the more I think about it, the more I wonder if Clay and his brother will actually be in Clay's Ark.  Will he turn out to be immortal like Doro?  Will it be about something Clay built?  I was so happy for his and his brother's happiness.  After centuries of manipulation, Doro's people were finally becoming a community.  I want to know more.  I hope to find out what happened to them, even if, like Emma, I don't get to spend a lot of time with them.  I am very much looking forward to the second half of the Patternmaster series.

Top Ten Characters I'd Like To Check In With

I haven't done a Top Ten Tuesday in a really, really, long time. But I saw this week's topic and it really connected with me.  How many times have you read a book and imagined what life was like for the character after the story's end? I know I have. Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever find out.I certainly didn't know there would be a sequel (or two) to Oryx and Crake when I first read it. Margaret Atwood isn't known for writing trilogies, but I'm so glad she created MaddAddam. I didn't think there would be books after Wicked either (and I still have to read them). Sometimes that hope to know what happens to the lives of our favourite characters is fulfilled, but most of the time, nope, we don't get to know.

Here are my top ten characters I'd like to check in with - in no particular order:

1. Offred from The Handmaid's Tale - Never going to happen, because the ending is perfect, but I still wish I knew what happened to her.

2. Roland from The Dark Tower series - I will try not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the whole series, but I want to know if Roland breaks the cycle.

3. Harry Potter - Harry Potter!

4. Laila from A Thousand Splendid Suns - Did her life turn out okay?  It seemed like it would, but after such a difficult beginning, I'd like to make sure.

5. Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird - ... Oh wait....

6. Del from Lives of Girls and Women - I just want to know.

7. Lena from the Delirium series - That ending! Come on!

8. David & Tell Ullman from The Demonologist - That ending! Come on!

9. The Baudelaires from A Series of Unfortunate Events - Who do they become when they grow up?  (Do they grow up?)

10. The Time Traveler from The Time Machine - Where does he end up?

I refrained from including any series that I know has another book out or coming out that I haven't read yet.  As much as I wanted to include Blue Sargent (from The Raven Cycle) or Betsy Taylor (from Undead), I didn't, because there are books to read and maybe once I reach the conclusions of these series I won't be wondering (I know what happens to MaddAddam's Toby and Katniss from The Hunger Games). These are all characters that still capture my imagination. Who do you wonder about you close the book?

Thoughts On My Spin Book

The spin number is 2!!

That means I'll be reading The Waves, by Virginia Woolf.  This one will be a reread for me.  Though it might be like the first time.  I read The Waves the first time about a decade ago in school.  I wrote a whole essay on it.  I got a decent mark too.  Ask me what it's about.  I have no idea.  I can't remember.  There's some people.  Friends.  I think they have dinner together.  Is someone missing.  I'm not even sure.  I don't know why I don't remember.  I could tell you all about Orlando (my favourite Woolf) or Flush, which I read at about the same time.  Oh well, I'll be reading The Waves really soon and I'm eagerly anticipating relearning the story.

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey might be my new favourite book by Jane Austen. I loved it. I loved the style of it. There was something cheeky in the narrator's tone that I really connected with. I loved Catharine Morland. I loved her innocence and ignorance. Can we attribute it all to age? To the fact that she was not well traveled? There were times I wanted to yell at Catharine, to ask her why she didn't see what was so obvious to us.

The characters are really what made this story. The story is pretty typical of a Jane Austen novel. There's a young woman, she meets a man. Stuff happens. They get married. There's always a good man, an ideal perhaps, then a bad man, who might be just a bit bad, but who could maybe be awful. There is often a friend/sister. There's a bad girl. There's a conflict between money and love. Nothing happened  in Northanger Abbey that I didn't expect.

What had me riveted, what had me coming back, was Catharine and the rest of the characters. Listening to the characters speak, but then hearing how Catharine interpreted their words and actions was a good kind of frustrating. Isabella was exactly who I that she would be. Her brother was more sneaky than I thought after what he said to the general, but I was not surprised. Henry was every good part of Austen's heroes. Eleanor was perfect.  Catharine Morland was jsut the right heroine for my mood. I loved how everything surprised her, even something simple, like a chest in her room.

Sense and Sensibility used to be my favourite Austen. I might have to reread it since Northanger Abbey has knocked it off its throne. I know Northanger Abbey isn't the most popular of Austen's novel, but I think anyone who has enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Emma, should not hesitate to read Austen's first novel as well.

The Grocery Store

Randomly, I found myself thinking about a family I noticed in the grocery store last week, two parents and their children, shopping for the week’s food.  There was some struggling, one child stuck in the cart, the other wandering off.  They were being good, no crying, no fussing, no bribery that I could see, but in my head I still wondered, why?  I try not to take my children to the grocery store.  If my Hubby is home and I have to go to the grocery store (or most anywhere), I give him and the children, a kiss goodbye, then head out.  Even if they are being perfect little angels, I know that a 30 minute trip to the grocery store will certainly double if I bring them along. They don’t make it longer on purpose, it's just how it is.

It is not as though I never take my children out shopping with me.  In fact, I usually can't go on my own, but usually I take just one.  My Hubby and I often “divide and conquer”, we each take one child and split the errands.  Again, it makes it all quicker.  If I have to take both children, I accept that I will be at the store for hours, that I have to take snacks, drinks, and activities.  I try to make it easy and potentially fun for all of us (mostly them).  I give the kids tasks, a scavenger hunt-esque game, finding what we need and putting it in the cart.  I want to avoid the meltdowns, because I've had enough of those.

I was talking to a friend of mine who said that her husband wanted to make errands like this a “family outing”.  She didn't get it.  She wanted to just go in and get out as quickly as possible.  I told her that I understood his perspective, because that used to be mine.  I tried to make grocery shopping a family activity, like perhaps, that family I saw last week.  I told my friend that I had learned my lesson. There had been too many crying, fighting, annoying, anxiety-creating moments.  I had decided, it would be better for me (or my Hubby, but usually me) to do a quick shop and then have family time after.  I didn't want to spend hours struggling at the store.  I wanted to spend that time doing crafts, playing games, running outside or even watching a movie together.  I wanted our family time to not involve yelling or pleading.  So though I may lose an hour here and there, I think quality time is better than quantity time.  This might just be me and my family though.  I’m sure there are others that have loads of fun at the grocery store… maybe. 

I Need To Spin!

I'm so excited to be particippating in another Classics Club Spin!  It's been too long since I did one. Though I don't always finish the book, I love the chance and the challenge.

I used to create a spin list divided into categories (categories I created based on the types of works I intended to read for the Classics Club).  Last time I participated in a spin (a long time ago), I took note of a few bloggers who decided to make the list random using Random.org.  I like random, so that's what I'm going to do again.

So here's my list:

1. Medea, by Euripides

2. The Waves, by Virginia Woolf

3. Little Dorrit, by Charles Dickens

4. The Weapons Shop, by A.E. van Vogt

5. Appointment with Death, by Agatha Christie

6. Daisy Miller, by Henry James

7. Dracula's Guest, by Bram Stoker

8. A Fairwell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway

9. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare

10. Lyrical Ballads, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth

11. Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain

12. From the Earth to the Moon, by Jules Verne

13. Sherlock Holmes #2: The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle

14. Stories from Hans Christian Andersen

15. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut

16. Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

17. The Cat In The Hat, by Dr. Seuss

18. Tales of Angria, by Charlotte Brontë

19. Three Series, Complete, by Emily Dickinson

20. Anne of Avonlea, by L.M. Montgomery

You know what I realized while making my list?  I've read enough books that I had to regenerate a lot of my random numbers. That's good, right?  I like the list I've ended up with. There is a bit of everything.  There is some genre, some young adult, a couple short stories, some poetry and even a children's book.  I think it worked out well.

I'm hoping for Agatha Christie though.  As soon as that popped up, I knew I had to read it.  Even if it is not my spin book, I think I'll be reading it soon.  What book are you hoping for?

Wild Seed

Wild Seed is the first novel in Octavia E. Butler's Patternmaster series, in the chronology of the Patternmaster world.  It is actually the 3rd novel written in the series.  If I had known that before I started, I probably would have read the books in publication order.  Oh well.  The edition of Wild Seed I have is collected in an Omnibus titled, Seed To Harvest.  I hadn't fully decided until I reached the emotional end of Wild Seed, whether I would write about each of the four Patternmaster books individually or if I would write about Seed to Harvest as a whole. It was an emotional ending and a fantastic story. Wild Seed is definitely a story on its own, able to stand alone, not just as a part of a series.  The power of the story decided for me, I had to write about Wild Seed (and now each subsequent story) on its own.

Wild Seed starts off with Doro. Sensing the presence of Anwanyu, Doro veers off his path to find her. That decision sets their immortal lives on a new course.  I loved this story.  Not only is the plot interesting and unique, it gives us a view of a world we don't often see in fantasy. Doro is a spirit, who's not a spirit; who changes bodies by first killing the spirit of the ones who own it. He can become male or female, black or white, anyone he wants. Anyanwu is an incredibly strong shapeshifter. She can become any living creature, learning all she needs to know about how a body functions by eating a bite of that animal. She can be a woman or man, make herself black or white or whatever she wants. Doro has lived for almost four thousand years. Anyanwu is young in comparison, only about four hundred by the time the book ends. They were both born in Africa, but their lives have moved to the new world, to a secluded part of New York. 

I love Anyanwu. I love how much she loves her friends and family. I love that she wants to be around her people. I love how much she cares for them, wants them to be safe and to grow and think for themselves. I love how much she loved Isaac. She was amazing, they were amazing. I'm so glad that this is a series and I (hopefully) get to see what happens next to her. 

I loved to hate Doro. I just wanted him to see what he was doing was wrong, not just because of convention or superstition, but because it can create bad people. Before finding Anyanwu, he lost most of his humanity. Anyanwu is a good (interesting) influence on him. I'm excited to see what kind of change will happen to him through the books in this series. 

I liked that we got to know Isaac. Besides him, we don't really see much of the other people Doro and Anyanwu interact with. The rest of the characters flit in and out of their lives, though there are a few we get deeper glimpses into, like Stephen, Luisa, Thomas, Nneke, and Leah. I wonder who we will see in future books. I suppose with the unending lives of Doro and Anyanwu, the next book could start with the end of Wild Seed, or it could start a hundred years in the future. 

I wonder about the other books. How much time will have passed? Where are we going to find this immortal pair? Will Anyanwu change Doro? I'm excited that I have started this series and I'll be reading the other books soon.

 
 *I really like all these interesting covers from over the years.  I had to share.*

The Women in Fiction Hastag Happened and I Loved It! - #womeninfiction

It's been a long time since I used Storify, but it help me collect just a few of my favourite #womeninfiction tweets.

The Girl Who Played With Fire

I love a good ending, don't you?

Though I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I took my time before I read The Girl Who Played With Fire. For two reasons: the length, it comes in at over 700 pages; and the subject matter, I knew it would be a mystery/thriller and have a measure of violence about it. I also knew what kind of violence, so, I avoided it for a while. Recent developments in my life have afforded me some uninterrupted time for a couple weeks, so the length seemed like a non-issue and I decided this was the time to read it.

I'm glad I finally did and I don't know if I should have waited so long. The Girl Who Played With Fire had me hooked from the beginning.  I think I liked it better than the first book. There was character development, intrigue and action. I loved every twist and turn. Stieg Larsson created such a compelling character in Lisbeth Salander and also in Mikael Blomkvist. I liked Berger, Paulo Roberto, Mimmi, Erikkson, Modig, Bublanski, everyone. Admittedly, there are A LOT of characters, and since it's been so long since I read the first book, I had trouble remembering all of them. But I'm used to it... I read Stephen King, after all.

I liked that Larsson created not just a compelling story, but also takes one sensitive topics. I felt that he was not just using it as background to tell a tail, but he also expressed an opinion about them through his work. It gave me something more than just a fantastic story to connect too.

As with so many second books in a trilogy, this felt like a middle book. It didn't until the end. The final few pages created such a cliffhanger, a sense of urgency, I don't think I'll be waiting as long to read the final installment. If it wasn't for those scenes, if the ending was just a bit different, or if the book was just five pages longer, two pages, it could have been a complete story unto itself. This is the Millennium trilogy though, so that it ended that way didn't surprise me.

I'm excited to read The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest. That there is a third book, means I kind of know what's going to happen after that final scene. Part of me wants to keep going on about how much I enjoyed The Girl Who Played With Fire, but I should really just pick up the next book. If you haven't read these books yet, even if you don't like mystery/thrillers, I highly recommend them. It is the characters that make the Millennium books amazing.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls.

Was that Hawksworth at the end? Wow. A great ending. Both the main story with the Bennets and the epilogue. I feel like the epilogue was not really created to connect to the first Pride and Prejudice and Zombies novel, but to actually connect to the third, Dreadfully Ever After. Which I will be reading, sooner than later. Dawn of the Dreadfuls actually has me wanting to read more Jane Austen too.  It's been a while since I read Emma and I have Northanger Abbey calling to me from a stack of books nearby.

I thoroughly enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After. It was brain candy. Just what I needed. It had women fighting stereotypes and preconceptions. It had twists. It had Lizzy and Jane. It had zombies! Steve Hockensmith did an excellent job moving backward from the story Seth Grahame-Smith wrote in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. He gave origins to where the Bennet sisters and their father learned their warrior ways, and Lady Catherine as well. Though we got more details about the zombie plague, we don't know where or why it started. I wonder if we'll get that in the third book.  Dawn of the Dreadfuls was funny, tragic, and exciting.  It's everything I expected it to be.  I loved that the Bennet parents got first names and that they are both given more depth.  I liked seeing who owned Netherfield before Bingley.  There's so much I liked about this novel.  I feel like I could gush.  Instead, I'm going to say, read it.  Even if you haven't read Pride and Prejudice or Pride an Prejudice and Zombies, I'm sure you'll still enjoy Dawn of the Dreadfuls.  The story stands very well on its own.  I wish there was more, but I suppose there is and I'll be reading it soon.  More Regency zombies, please!

What's in the Fridge? Homemade Pasta Sauce!

What happens when you have to make dinner and you don't have time to go to the grocery store and the cupboards are bare?  You take a bunch of stuff from the fridge and throw it in a pot!  I looked through the food stocked in the kitchen, I found that I had butter, milk, flour, various leftover vegetables and the usual herbs and spices.  First, I decided that I needed to use the broccoli, asparagus, and spinach (I hate when produce goes bad).  Then, I saw the butter.  I don't usually have butter, but I baked recently and had some left over.  Butter, plus flour and milk, add some parmesan, throw in the greens and now I have a veggie cream sauce! I added some black pepper, basil and oregano, what more do I need?  I checked out what pasta I had, and surprisingly, I actually had some fettucine.  It was a quick dinner and it tasted fantastic. Sometimes, you just need a few minutes, imagination and determination to find what you need.

Call Roxanne, by Andrew Pyper

After reading Andrew Pyper's exciting novel, The Demonologist, I just had to read something else by him.  After a quick search, I found a free short story (I'm a sucker for a free short story), Call Roxanne.  (Also, I just finished Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxane!)  This is not a story about a girl named Roxanne, it is a story about a boy and his father.  Something is wrong with the boy and I think something is wrong with the father.  I thought the relationship between father and son was interesting.  I wish I knew more about them.  I loved the way the trip to the hospital was woven into the story without being obvious.  I thought the introduction of Roxanne was interesting and the way she popped back up at the end.  It ends so abruptly though, I wish I knew more about the boy and what happens to him.  Call Roxanne has definitely made me eager to read more of Andrew Pyper's works.

Cyrano de Bergerac

I want to see this play! The story is brilliant, tragic, and full of emotion. If you don't know Edmond Rostand's most famous work, Cyrano de Bergerac is about love and appearances. Cyrano has a rather large nose and is considered by himself and others as ugly. He is in love with a beautiful woman, Roxane. Roxane is in lust with Christian, though for the time, they call it love. Christian is also in love with Roxane, but must work to woo her. He has no words. Cyrano is an expert at words, he is a poet and perhaps could have been a playwrite. Cyrano believes that Roxane could never love him, so gives his words to Christian. First in a letter, then in the famous balcony scene where Cyrano whispers from the bushes, a scene that has become a part of pop culture and parodied in so many different forms.

The end is just so sad. Though familiar with the balcony scene and the play, I didn't know how it began or ended or the other man vying for Roxane's affections. I hoped for truth, for love to conquer all. I wanted for Cyrano and Roxane to find happiness. You'll have to read it to find out what happens. It's one of those works that is so frequently referenced, that you think you know what happens, but you actually don't. As when I finished Death of a Salesman, I want to see Cyrano de Bergerac now. I'm going to be keeping my eye out to see if the play will be preformed in Toronto or Stratford. I should check a couple of the local theatres too. I have to find a good movie adaptation. Suggestions? Cyrano de Bergerac was a fantastic play and I'm eager to see it performed.

Classic number 18/60!

Shopaholic On Honeymoon

Shopaholic on Honeymoon is a perfect little taste of the Shopaholic series.  It is full of Sophie Kinsella's humourous tone and Becky's insanely wonderful personality.  Shopaholic on Honeymoon takes place during the gap of time between Shopaholic Ties The Knot and Shopaholic and Sister. There's an entire year in there where Becky and Luke go on honeymoon.  They travel the world and come home to all of Becky's purchases.  But was it smooth sailing the whole time?  Was it a perfect year?

I love that Kinsella was inspired to write this short story.  I'm glad it was free too!  Though it had what I believe is the desired effect, I want to read more Shopaholic.  I don't own Shopaholic to the Stars yet.  I want now more than I did before.  I'm itching to read more Kinsella.  I do have a couple of her stand-alone books that I haven't read yet.  Maybe it's time for Twenties Girl or Can You Keep A Secret?.  I have been spending some time commuting with strangers this week, maybe Can You Keep A Secret? is the perfect book to be reading.  I think I just need more Sophie Kinsella in my life.